Can I use a DTA I buy from a third party

I have the RNG 100 set top box and the two free DTAs. I now want to hook up a fourth TV. Comcast wants $1.99 a month for a new DTA. I can buy a used one on eBay for $15. Does anyone know whether Comcast will activate a DTA that I buy (I would buy the same model that they use)? I'm assuming it needs to be activated. Thanks

Re: Can I use a DTA I buy from a third party

Comcast, and most other cable companies, consider purchased boxes like that "stolen" and will not activate them since they don't sell them in the U.S. they were rental boxes that should have been returned.

If you purchase one it is a pricey paperweight.

You can always purchase your own modem for Internet use and Comcast won't worry about that.

Re: Can I use a DTA I buy from a third party

For me the real question that needs to be answered is whether or not Comcast scrambles the signals using proprietary algorithms. If they do, then third party DTAs won't work. If they don't scramble signals and the DTA is simply converting digital signals to analog, then it would seem logical that third party DTAs should work. I hope you find your answer...good luck!

Re: Can I use a DTA I buy from a third party

odds are comcast will not activate that dta because its not associated with your account, They want their money for the box. If they are goingt to charge 1.99 get the digital box for 10 and get all the channels. DTAs are meant for old tv's tube type to get channels after the digital migration but people are trying to use them for new tv's to get a signal for free.

Re: Can I use a DTA I buy from a third party

I'm not even talking about a third party DTA. I would buy one of the used Comcast DTAs from a Comcast customer who moved and no longer needs it. Does anyone know if that would work?

It wouldn't. The equipment is Comcast property. When no longer needed by the customer it has to be returned to Comcast. If it isn't returned Comcast could consider it stolen property.

If you did get one that way, it would have to be activated. The number of the unit would show up in the database as belonging to someone else.

Don't waste your money on it. As stated above, you would end up with nothing more than a paperweight.

Comcast employees must be authorized to post in the forum in an official capacity. Employees posting here have their names in red and are designated as employees. Names not in red are customers.

This is done to protect customers and for assurance that they are dealing with a Comcast employee.Non-Authorized Employees are allowed to post but cannot state they are employees nor can they allude to being employees.

Re: Can I use a DTA I buy from a third party

Also the MAC on the box from a customer will be seen in less than a milsecond and then it is abit dangerous, for it would be a stolen box. There are no multiple MACS and each are different and unique for every sinlge device. It is nothing at all like an IP. V4 or V6. Thats why never buy a device from anyone anywhere. They are the property and owned by Comcast.

Re: Can I use a DTA I buy from a third party

Anyone else who is thinking of buying a DTA off ebay or craigslist that is comcast brand, don't do it. Comcast has assured me they do not sell these boxes, thus buying one from a private party is buying stolen property. Nobody owns the box to be able to resell it to you. You will not be able to activate it for use with an analog TV. Seek remedy with the seller, your cc company, paypal, ebay etc and try to get your money refunded.

I figured I would save myself the perpetual 1.99/mo charge and spend $25 to buy a comcast DTA on ebay. Now I'm stuck with a device that won't work and forced to pay the 1.99/mo anyways. Save yourself the hassle.

Re: Can I use a DTA I buy from a third party

Have you contacted eBay about that. According to their own terms devices like that are not supposed to be listed on their site.

Report the person you bought it from to them. They should in good faith offer you a refund I would think.

Of course they get their cut so they don't monitor their own site that well for illegal sales like that. I figure a lot of sub-contractors for Comcast probably list a lot of unreturned cable boxes on eBay to make a small extra profit.